For Joe's birthday this year I got him and I tickets to see the Patriots play the Packers on Sunday Night Football in Foxboro! The game was a few nights ago and it was a FANTASTIC game to be at! Actually the whole weekend was really fun and indulgent...
Saturday night we drove down to Joe's parent's house and after lunch on Sunday Joe and I left for the game. Joe's parents graciously watched the kids for us...overnight (this was my very first night away from Eli ever)! We love our kids oh so much, but I think that Joe and I were both in need of a break because we were near giddy as we drove away. Then 5 minutes later we had to drive back because we forgot the tickets, but then we left again and continued to be giddy and care free! We drove down to Foxboro and stopped off at Cabelas on the way (for hand warmers and so Joe could look at guns- this was for his birthday after all). After checking into our hotel we enjoyed an incredible dinner at a local restaurant. To be honest it was a little fancy (the lady at our hotel said we could get burgers there- we couldn't) but we decided to stay and splurge just a bit and really enjoyed one of the best meals we have had in some time. Then we drove to the stadium and it really was fun seeing the thousands and thousands of fans, so many people tailgating in the cold, and just feeling the general excitement!
So, as I mentioned, the game was incredible. I have to be honest that going in I was feeling a little disappointed. When I bought the tickets I was really thinking it was going to be a good game...until the Packers starting quarterback was injured the week before and EVERYBODY was predicting a full out humiliating blow out! With our back up quarterback starting nobody was giving the Packers even a chance of winning. So, I just sort of braced myself. Now, the Patriots are arguably one of the best NFL teams right now so I always knew that this would be a challenging game for the Packers. There was even a part of me that sort of knew that it might be best for our marriage if the Patriots won that night (Joe and I are both huge fans of our teams, but I might just be a bit of a better looser)...and this was Joe's birthday present. But neither of us really wanted a total blowout. What we really wanted was to watch a good game (and then for our own team to win at the end...but for it to be a good game). So, I was bummed out going in thinking that it might not be a fun game to watch. But oh my was I (and EVERYONE else) wrong! From the very first play (an onside kick by the Packers recovered by the Packers) to the very last play it was a nail bitter. Every single play counted and meant something. Both teams went back and forth with the Packers actually leading for the majority of the game. And let me just tell you that the fans there were shocked (and just full out angry at times). I was incredibly impressed with my husband though at what a great sport he was. As fun as it was it was also challenging to feel so alone as I cheered my team on (there were plenty of Packers fans there, but the very few around me weren't very vocal)! So, in the end the Patriots just barely won. The Packers were down near the end zone and if they had had just one more minute on the clock I'm certain they would have gotten the job done, but they lost by four points. And yet I have to say that I was so proud of the Packers and how they played on Sunday night! Nobody gave them a chance and they went into an away game against one of the best teams in the NFL and nearly (oh so nearly) won. Joe and I both left the game fairly pleased having enjoyed watching a really great game of football live. This was Joe's first time going to an NFL game and it was my first time going to a regular season game (I went to see the Packers play a preseason game in Denver when I lived in Colorado)- so that made it even more fun. Sure there were some entertaining and annoying drunk fans, we saw a few people get arrested, and we spent almost 2 hours trying to get out of the stadium parking lot but it was worth it!
At nearly 2a.m. we finally got back to our hotel and crashed. And then we got to SLEEP IN because neither of us had to get up with the kids...JOY!!! We enjoyed breakfast, drove back, and enjoyed just a bit of shopping and Starbucks along the way. Oh, the indulgence of it all! It's not a weekend we'll soon afford to repeat, but what a great memory!
P.S. In case you were wondering- our kids did great with their Nonnie and Grampy!
P.P.S. As another birthday gift to Joe I left my camera at home (so that we wouldn't have to deal with it at the stadium). I got these great picture online. The second picture was during the 2nd quarter right as the Packers scored another touchdown. I remember this play clearly because that is when the stadium started to feel really ugly! Enjoy!
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